Welcome newcomers, regulars, and lurkers to the Pop Century FAQ Thread – it is undeniably the grooviest and hippest FAQ thread around! It’s totally awesome …and that ain’t no jive!

So …. Got questions?? That’s cool…. We keep it real here… AND give you the scoop on “Everything” at POP!!!

A *HALF* CENTURY OVERVIEW

To those of you not aware of what the Disney’s Pop Century Resort is all about – the resort is a celebration of the second half of the 20th century's American pop culture. The resort's larger-than-life figures preserve the toys, fads, dance crazes, and catch phrases from the 1950’s through the 1990’s and remind us how we lived, played, and communicated. It is a trip down memory lane – figuratively and literally – as one can take a stroll on Pop’s Memory Lane – and read about highlights about fads and significant events that took place during these decades.

The Pop Century Resort was originally planned to be two separate resort areas, featuring the Legendary Years (1910s-1940s) and the Classic Years (1950s-1990s), connected via the Generation Gap Bridge, over Hourglass Lake. However, in May 2010, it was decided that the unfinished Legendary Years resort would become a new value resort, named Disney's Art of Animation. Opening in June 2012, the resort offers family suites themed after the Lion King, Cars and Finding Nemo and standard rooms themed after The Little Mermaid.

Are you psyched yet ?? Can you dig it??? POP’s radical ... colorful … sensational…and way, WAY out there ... Fer shure!

To make room reservations: 407.934.7639 (407-WDISNEY), TTY Reservations at 407.939.7670, online at www.disneyworld.com or with your travel agent.

For any general room request (view, room location, connecting rooms, etc.) please add this when making your reservation. Remember to limit your room requests to 3, with the most important request listed first. (Disney no longer encourages room requests via fax.) However, there has been a fluctuation on this issue throughout the resorts. If you would like to send a fax, please keep in mind to do so no sooner than 10 days prior to arrival or later than 4 days prior to arrival.

Medical/Special Needs: If someone in your party has a medical or special need, please mention this to the cast member when making your reservation. For those guests with hearing impairments, Pop offers TTY phones, visual signals for fire alarms, phones, wake up alarms, and door knocks. There is also a bed shaker accessory. These items are available for use at no cost.

Check-in time is officially 3:00 pm; however, you can check in at any time to receive your packet and park tickets. If your room is not available, you can request a call to inform you when your room is ready.

How many times have you heard (or uttered) the classic phrase “are we there yet?” Thankfully, at POP Century, it’s an indication that the POPular destination lies just ahead …..

Road side assistance providing the traveler with some important details about the accommodations …

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*** Retro road side signs greet you upon arrival at POP Century. ***[Pictures by Pas130] ​

A *CLASSIC* OVERVIEW

Classic Hall is the name of the main building and houses the front desk/lobby, the Fast Forward arcade, and "Everything POP”, which combines the dining and shopping areas.

Check In Area

Lobby View

Everything POP
The Food court features a bakery/ice cream station, grill, pizza and pasta sections and a Grab-N-Go Market. There are three drink stations, plenty of tables and TVs to entertain the kids while dining.

Beds are on permanent pedestals and are not moveable (handicap accessible rooms are the exception)

A twin mattress can fit in the room (but not between the two double beds)

Pack and Plays are available upon request

Ice buckets and disposable plastic cups are provided in guest rooms

No countertop-like appliances are allowed in guest rooms as these are against hotel safety policies; small personal coffeemakers are permitted.

No ceiling fans in rooms

H20 brand shampoo/conditioner combo as well as facial and bath soap bars are provided; there is no lotion or shower gel

Bathtubs do not have non-slip appliqués on the bottom of the tub nor non-slip mats

A small safe is located in the wall near the vanity and measures approximately 4" deep x 12" wide x 14" tall. If a larger space is required, Guest Services in the lobby of Classic Hall will be able to assist you.

Wake up calls are available by pressing the wake-up call button on the room phone and following the directions.

The alarm clock/radio has an MP3 player hookup (speaker use only; it does not charge up your MP3 player), and aslo offers a white noise machine function.

Voicemail is available on the room phone; a blinking red light will indicate messages

Complimentary wireless internet access

King Bed Rooms accommodate up to 2 people, plus one portable crib for an infant (defined as a child under 3). This category has a total of 144 rooms; of which 63 are Handicap Accessible. All floors have regular and handicap accessible King rooms; however the 4th floor King rooms are only HC.

Double/Double Bed Rooms feature two double beds and accommodate up to 4 adults/children plus one portable crib for an infant. Note: there is an additional charge for a third and fourth adult (over 17) in the same room. This category has a total of 2,621 rooms; of which 115 are Handicap Accessible.

Although not always guaranteed, connecting rooms are available by request; please mention your needs when making your reservations.

This map shows the locations of connecting, handicap accessible and king bed rooms (thanks to DISer ChairborneRangr)

Best Hourglass Lake views: Buildings #3, #4, #5, #6 Quieter rooms: Generally, lakeside views and 3rd and 4th floors of any building are quieter Illuminations Views: The very top of the Epcot Illumination fireworks can be seen from the lakeside upper floors, 50s buildings 2,3, and 60s building 4.

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As March 2012: Small refrigerators were installed in all guest rooms. The entertainment unit was modified slightly to accommodate the refrigerator.

ROOM CATEGORIES & RATES
Beginning in 2012, there are four room booking categories: Standard, Standard Pool View, Preferred, and Preferred Pool View. The Pool View categories are offered in: 50s, 80s, and 90s areas (Standard Pool View); and 60s (Preferred Pool View). Preferred is available in selected areas in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, and Standard is offered throughout the resort. The updated map shows the preferred; standard and preferred pool view categories based on past knowledge and approximation of the areas in which these categories will apply. Refer to Pop Century 2012 Map.

Standard can refer to a parking lot, lake view, courtyard and are typically a little further from Classic Hall. Preferred refers to the location of the room; they do not refer to views, size, or amenities. These rooms are in buildings closest to Classic Hall.

Using the Standard View rates as a measure, generally:

Standard Pool View is approx $5 additional/night

Preferred View is approx $15 additional/night

Preferred Pool View is approx $20 additional/night

Rates: Mary from Mousesavers.com does a wonderful job of listing the rates by seasons and categories, click to see rates for 2012 and 2013.

If choosing a sundae as dessert, guests have an option of returning (up to one hour after receiving their meal) to pick up the sundae. Please inform the CM at check out.

Alcohol: Available for purchase in one of the Food Court's coolers are bottles of chilled wine and beer. Some bottled hard liquor can be bought in the Everything Pop gift shop (in addition beverages are available for purchase at Petals Bar.)

Soy milk (vanilla/chocolate flavors) is available for purchase

Small cartons (8 oz) of regular cow's milk and chocolate milk are available for purchase

Celebration Cakes
Six inch cakes are decorated with flowers and personalization; Disney decorations are available on larger cakes. Ask for current prices.

Fresh vanilla cake with vanilla frosting (topped with a Mickey picture) is available in the Food Court.

Fresh chocolate cake with chocolate frosting is available but requires pre-planning. Call the Food Court Head Chef in advance of arrival, place an order with a credit card; your cake will be available for pick up at the Pop bakery. TIP: Check with the Pop's Head Chef upon arrival to ensure your order will be ready for you. The POP Cake Hotline is 407-938-3070. Check out the DISboards' Birthday/Anniversary Cake Thread for some other suggestions and details.

Pop Century offers three pools, which are located in the 50s, 60s, and 80s/90s areas. None of the regular pools feature zero entry; however, the edges are shallow, getting gradually deeper towards center, but no deeper than 4 9".

The Kids Wading Pool, a splash & play area, offers zero entry and is located by the Hippy Dippy Pool.

Buses are the only means to get to the parks and Downtown Disney via Disney transportation from Pop Century. Separate bus stops for WDW parks, including the water parks and Downtown Disney, are located in front of Classic Hall. Note that the line queues are not covered from the weather elements. (thanks to DISer jcarwash for the picture)

Pop Century bus pick-up/drop-off queues at the WDW parks are typically the furthest away from the entrance to the park.

Unlike other Value Resorts, Pop Century buses go directly to a destination; they do not stop at any other resort to pick up other guests.

Pop Century is a Magic On Demand resort (Zone 5); this means buses get dispatched on an as-needed basis.

Cabs are available near the front entrance of Pop

Pop Century bus hours of operation

begins one hour before park opens, including park Early Magical Hours

begins 30 minutes prior to first scheduled on-property character breakfast

approximately one hour past parks closure; keep in mind that this is a very busy time for transportation needs, so waiting times and commute times can be greater

Routes to get to popular resort Character Breakfasts from Pop Century.

Disney requires flight information for scheduling; this needs to be added to the room reservation to secure transportation. If booking with a travel agent they can do this on a guests behalf as well.

Guests are mailed a ME transportation voucher; if a guest does not receive a voucher, arrangements can be made no less than 3 hours prior to arrival (4 hours for international flights) at 1.866.599.0951

Commute time from MCO airport to Pop Century Resorts is approximately 35 minutes

Alamo has a rental location at the Car Care Center near the Magic Kingdom parking lot; you can arrange in advance for an agency's shuttle to pick you up there. For more helpful information on renting a car, visit Mousesavers Rental Car information.

Credit/debit cards and a cash payment can be linked to a your room key (also known as your Key To The World (KTTW) card). This enables the convenience of making purchases at the parks and many stores at Downtown Disney with your KTTW card. Note that Disney does impose a credit and balance limit.

WDW On-Line Room Check In

Prior to arrival, guests can take advantage of this service. Deb at AllEarsNet has great details, click here. Also, DISboards has details.

Luggage

The hours of Luggage Station are 24/7; luggage carts are available for use. Luggage can be stowed at the beginning and end of your POP stay; go to the Luggage Pick-up/Drop-off station outside the main entrance.

There are no traditional bell hop services; guests not using Magical Express, may leave luggage at luggage drop off. Once in room, call for delivery.

Luggage can be transferred to/from another WDW resort if you're switching mid-stay; the service is complimentary, but tipping is appreciated

For guests who choose to use Magical Express transportation, Disney transports luggage from the airport; this may take 3-4 hours for luggage to arrive in your room. Option: Do not put Magical Express tags on your luggage and take it with you on the bus.

For guests arriving after 10:00 pm, it is best to board the bus with the luggage as luggage services will not deliver until the following morning.

ECV Parking

A POP guest may park (and charge) an ECV by the Luggage Assistance area; however, a spot cannot always be guaranteed. Guests can inquire about this service once at the resort.

Pizza Delivery

On-site pizza delivery (from the Food Court) is the only type of food room service available. Details will be in the Resort Welcome Packet provided at check in.

Shipping Packages to/from Pop Century Resort

Use the street address noted at the top of this post

For packages arriving to the resort, the guest name and arrival date are essential

On the labels first line, include your name preceded by the word Guest and date of arrival ( i.e. Guest Minnie Mouse 08/27/11)

Your package will be held up to 2 weeks prior to your arrival

Pick up/ship your packages from the Concierge Desk

WDW Complimentary Gift Package Service

For convenience, WDW parks offer a complimentary gift shop package delivery service to all resorts.

Make sure you give your package 24-36 hours to arrive at the resort

The package pick-up area is located inside the Everything Pop gift shop near the bus stop entrance

Housekeeping

Tipping your housekeeper is optional; it is a nice gesture as they are servicing your room. If you do tip, please keep in mind:

Your assigned housekeeper can change from day-to-day, so leave a clearly marked envelope for him/her on a daily basis

A guideline some use is to tip $1 per day per person in the room + $1; so a room of 4 people would be $5 each day

Airline Check In

Many American-based airlines offer airline check-in at WDW resorts (refer to DISboards Airline Check In for details). This allows guests the convenience of checking luggage in advance, bypassing this step at the airport.

PROPERTY INFO Did you know?? Disney's Pop Century Resort is compact and easy to get around. From the furthest room location, it should take no more than 8 minutes to walk to Classic Hall (Lobby/Buses/Food Court).

Concierge Desk cast members are available to assist guests with various services including dining reservations (located in the lobby)

The Resort gift shop, Everything POP, is located in Classic Hall; hours are 6:00 am Midnight.

Newspapers are available for purchase in Everything Pop (at the right side check-out counter)

Parking for guests is complimentary in any of the decade parking areas

It is not possible to walk to any WDW destination from Pop

Stairways and elevators are available for each building. The giant ICONs at the end of the buildings are also stairways!

Ice machines are available on each floor behind the buildings elevators

Soda and snack vending machines are located near the ice machines on the first floor of each building

Soda and snack vending machines are located in the service buildings by each pool

A walking/running path is located on Memory Lane that borders Hourglass Lake

Swimming is prohibited in Hourglass Lake

Fishing is permitted around Hourglass Lake but not on Generation Gap Bridge (catch & release only)

Fishing equipment is not available for rent on property

A Florida fishing license is not required

Caution: grounds leading to the lakes edge are steep and drop-off can be immediate.

Pool-side dressing rooms, showers, and restrooms are in stand-alone buildings by each pool. This is especially useful for early check in and/or a late departure check out day. Coin operated lockers are also available.

Washers/dryers are available in the poolside bathroom buildings located in the 50s, 60s, and 90s. These are coin operated and are available 24 hours; however, a room key is required for access after 9:00 pm (there are change machines in the bldg).

Laundry products are available for purchase in vending machines and also Everything Pop.

$2 each for the washer and approximately a 20 minute dryer cycle

No seating available in laundry bldg.

ATMs are found in Classic Hall Lobby behind the Disney Vacation Club counter

Currency exchange service available in Classic Hall Lobby

Babysitting/childcare services can be arranged for a fee

Valet service cleaning

Express check-out

No business center is on Pop Century property

Hair wrapping is a service found at a cart located between the Hippy Dippy Pool and the Food Court entrance. Cost is approx. $2 an inch; beads are also available to purchase. A temporary tattoo cart is nearby as well. Hours of operation: 4pm-10pm daily (approx.)

An artist drawing caricatures (for a fee) can be found in Classic Hall near the arcade entrance.

Resort property is non-smoking; there are designated smoking locations around Hourglass Lake.

TIPs .... PASS It ON

The DIS's Resort Overview of Pop Century
[*]Check to see if there are park or resort closings, refurbishments, or construction going on during your stay
[*]From the 80s or 90s buildings, it is shorter to reach Classic Hall/Bus Stops by crossing through the parking lot
[*]Use this great Advance Dinner Reservations (ADR) calendar calculator to determine your 180 day mark for making dining reservations throughout the World
[*]Bring clothes pins to hang up wet swimsuits on the retractable clothes line in the shower, to help keep curtains closed
[*]The room door is metal, so magnets or magnet clips are useful for holding papers or notes on the inside of your door
[*]Need groceries? Contact Garden Grocer for their delivery services to the resort. A styrofoam cooler can be ordered from them for few dollars; pass the cooler along to someone else when leaving
[*]Publix Grocery Store (off of South International Drive)

Directions: out of Pop Century parking lot, turn left; at next light turn left onto Osceola Parkway; at 2nd light (Gaylord is right next to you), turn right onto South International Drive; once you are under the overpass and before you get to US 192, turn left and Publix will be right there

[*]For official Walt Disney World Florist & Gifts contact 1.407.827.3505, or visit on the web at http://www.disneyflorist.com (available for room delivery)
[*]Check out the back of the lifeguard stands for daily park hours and weather information. Hours are also posted in Classic Hall
[*]Consider packing a power strip if you have several electronics to ensure you have enough outlets
[*]US postcard postage stamps are sold at the cash registers at Everything Pop
[*]There is a mail slot in Classic Hall right inside the main entrance beside the ATMs and pay phones
[*]Celebrating a birthday? Here are a few perks to take advantage of at Pop Century

order or pick up a cake (see "Celebration Cakes" under the "Good Eats" section)

SUBSCRIBING: Did you know you do not have to reply to this thread to subscribe to it? On any thread on the DISboards, near the top of the page and just under the advertisement banner and "Page # of #", there's a drop-down option named "Thread Tools". After clicking on this, select "Subscribe to this Thread". Please do this instead of posting a "Subbing" type of post so we can cut down on the number of unnecessary posts that makes it more time consuming to read through. Thanks!!

Refrigerators are Chillin' at POPComplimentary refrigerators were added in March 2012. The entertainment unit was modified by a removal of a shelf to accommodate the refrigerator.

Complimentary WiFi was rolled out in 2012

Resort Map 2012:A link to the updated POP Century 2012 Map is available on the FAQ first page (Post #1). Please use this as a guide in referencing the locations of preferred, standard and preferred pool view areas.

Speical Needs/ECV:Official word from Special Needs is that a POP guest may park (and charge) an ECV by the Luggage Assistance area; however, a spot cannot always be guaranteed. Guests can inquire about this service once at the resort.